30/03/2026

MONDAY | MAR 30, 2026

Read

iPaper at Malaysian Paper

www.thesun.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download

app from the App Store or Google Play TM . Malaysian Paper or download

SCAN ME

SCAN ME

Malaysian Paper

Mercedes Italian F1 driver Kimi Antonelli celebrates with his team after winning the Japanese GP at the Suzuka circuit yesterday. – AFPPIC

Kim-possible

Antonelli wins in Japan to become youngest F1 championship leader

JAPANESE GP (Top 10) 1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 4. George Russell (Mercedes) 5. Lando Norris (McLaren) 6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 8. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) 10. Esteban Ocon (Haas) WORLD C’SHIP STANDINGS: Drivers (Top 5) 1. Kimi Antonelli (ITA) 72pts, 2. George Russell (GBR) 63, 3. Charles Leclerc (MON) 49, 4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 41, 5. Lando Norris (GBR) 25. Constructors (Top 5) 1. Mercedes 135pts, 2. Ferrari 90, 3. McLaren 46, 4. Haas 18, 5. Alpine 16.

M ERCEDES’ Kimi Antonelli won the Japanese Grand Prix yesterday for his second straight vic tory, as the 19-year-old Italian became the youngest driver in Formula One his tory to lead the world championship standings. Antonelli took advan tage of a mid-race safety car to leapfrog into the lead after a dreadful start from pole position and led home

some of the last ground when a crash

dropped him out of contention for the win. Piastri secured second in his first grand prix start of the season, after crashing on his way to the grid in the opener in Australia and missing the race in China because of a technical problem. Piastri led for the first half of the race before the safety car gave Antonelli his chance. “It would have been really interest ing to see what would have happened without that,” said Piastri. “A shame that we never got to see what would have happened, but I think for us to be disappointed at this point about finishing second is a pretty good place to be.” McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris was fifth ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Red Bull’s four-time world cham pion Max Verstappen, the winner in Japan for the past four years, was eighth after starting from 11th on the grid. Antonelli had become the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history in China and again was at the head of the grid. But he suffered a shocking start and was down in sixth by the first corner. Piastri took the early lead ahead of Leclerc, with Norris, Russell and Hamilton all sweeping past Antonelli. The young Italian had made up ut of contention for the red second in his first t of the season, after

Such speed differences on track have been highlighted as a conse quence of the sport’s new engine era and regulations and drivers’ need to manage an increased electrical ele ment. Spaniard Sainz, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, said drivers had feared just such an accident and called on the International Automobile Federation (FIA) to act. “We’ve been warning them about this happening, this kind of closing speeds and this kind of accidents were always going to happen,” he said. “I’m not very happy with what we’ve had up until now. “Hopefully we come up with a bet ter solution that doesn’t create these massive closing speeds and (produces) a safer way of going racing. “Here we were lucky there was an escape road. Now imagine going to Baku or going to Singapore or going to Vegas (street circuits) and having this kind of closing speeds and crashes next to the walls.” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff agreed the sport had to look into it. “The regulations are at a very imma ture way and actually the FIA and us teams we’re going to analyse the acci dent very carefully to see how we can avoid these things,” said the Austrian. – AFP/Reuters

by Haas driver Ollie Bearman brought out the safety car during the pit stop window. Piastri had already pitted but Antonelli was able to dive in for fresh tyres moments after the safety car was deployed and emerged in front of the Australian, a stroke of luck that effec tively won him the race. Bearman got out of his car unaided but was limping badly as race marshals helped him off the track. Haas later said he had “a right knee contusion” and initial X-rays showed no fractures after hitting the barrier at high speed. After the race, Williams driver Carlos Sainz said Bearman’ crash had been an accident waiting to happen, and that Formula One and the govern ing FIA must listen to calls for change. Bearman’s Haas hit the barriers with a force of 50G at Spoon corner after approaching Franco Colapinto’s Alpine with a significant speed differ ential between the cars, the US-owned team said. As the Haas swerved left to avoid contact, the car went onto the grass and through a marker board as the 20-year old lost control at 308kph with the safety car then deployed in a key moment of the race.

McLaren’s by 13.722sec with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc a further 1.548sec back in third. He whooped with delight as he crossed the line at Suzuka, telling his team “the pace was unbelievable today”. He moved up to 72 points and leads the championship by nine points after three races, building on the first grand prix win of his career two weeks ago in China. “Of course it’s still too early to think about the championship but we’re on a Oscar Piastri

good way,” said Antonelli. “I don’t know what would have hap pened, what the outcome would have been without the safety car, but it defi nitely made my life a lot easier.” His Mercedes teammate George Russell finished fourth to drop to sec ond in the championship standings on 63 points. Leclerc is third on 49. Russell battled Piastri for the lead over the first half of the race but pitted just before the safety car which

‘Sunshine Double’ for Sabalenka - p28

Poch gets reality check - p29

theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2625 Email: newsdesk@thesundaily.com • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Email: advertise@thesundaily.com